JP2859879B2 - Image communication device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus, and more particularly, to an image communication apparatus having storage means used for storing transmission image data and reception image data.

[Related Art] A facsimile apparatus will be described as an example of the above-described image communication apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a facsimile apparatus which buffers transmission / reception data in a memory and transmits / receives the data. When memory transmission is performed by this type of device, image data is read by a scanner and temporarily stored in an image memory. After storing all the image data in the memory, call the partner station,
The image data is transmitted from the memory.

Further, in an apparatus provided with such an image memory, image reception is accepted even when recording paper for recording and outputting image data is completely consumed, and so-called proxy reception in which the received image data is stored in the image memory is performed. What you do is known. According to the proxy reception, a communication opportunity is not missed even when there is no recording paper, which has been conventionally treated as an error, or various troubles of the recording output device, for example, a state of running out of ink or toner.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In the apparatus having the above-described image memory, there is a problem as described below in consideration of the balance between the transmission of the memory and the alternate reception when recording is not possible.

In the conventional method, there is an incoming call immediately after all the image data for memory transmission is read into the memory, and when this image reception is to be performed with priority, the transmission of the image data in the memory is suspended and the received image data is sequentially transmitted. The image data is output in real time by the recording device, and the image data in the memory is transmitted when the image reception is completed.

The above processing is possible only when the recording output device can operate, and when the recording output is impossible, the transmission data occupies the image memory, so that the alternate reception cannot be performed,
Therefore, even if there is an incoming call, there is no other method except for terminating the error, and a method of transmitting the data in the memory thereafter is used, and there is a problem that the chance of receiving cannot be fully utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems and to prevent the storage of received image data from becoming impossible due to the storage of transmission image data.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving image data, an input unit for inputting transmission image data to be transmitted by the communication unit, and the communication Output means for outputting the received image data received by the means; storage means used also for storing the transmission image data and the received image data; and storing the transmission image data input by the input means in the storage means. Causing the communication means to transmit the transmission image data stored in the storage means, while storing the reception image data received by the communication means in the storage means, and storing the received image data in the storage means. To output received image data to the output unit, and to secure a storage area in the storage unit for storing the received image data, A configuration is adopted in which the storage of the transmission image data in the storage unit is limited, and the control unit stores the reception image data in the reserved storage area.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, by limiting the accumulation of the transmission image data in the accumulation unit, the accumulation area for accumulating the reception image data is secured in the accumulation unit.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a facsimile apparatus employing the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU including a microprocessor or the like, which controls the operation of the entire apparatus in accordance with an input operation from an operation panel 4. The operation panel 4 includes ten keys, a display, function keys, one-touch keys for abbreviated dialing, and the like.

The input and output of a procedural signal and image data to and from a communication line 3 such as a telephone line are performed by a communication control unit 2 including a modem, an NCU, and the like. As the line interface of the communication control unit 2, a known configuration according to the type of line, such as an analog line such as a telephone line, a digital line such as an ISDN network, or the like is used.

The CPU 1 controls the device according to a program described later stored in the ROM 1a. At that time, the RAM 1b is used as a work area of the CPU 1. The CPU 1 synchronizes the operation of each unit of the apparatus, and encodes and decodes image data and performs other data processing.

A scanner 5 and a printer 6 are connected to the CPU 1 as image input / output means. The scanner 5 includes a known image reading mechanism such as a CCD line sensor and a document conveying system.

Further, the printer 6 has a built-in recording paper 61 as shown in FIG.
The image data transferred from the CPU 1 is recorded by the recording head 62 while being conveyed by the conveying roller 64, and the recording paper 61 is cut into a predetermined size by the cutter 63 after the recording of one page is completed.

The recording head 62 is configured according to various recording methods, for example, a thermal recording method, an ink jet method, a laser beam method, and the like. Although the recording paper 61 has a roll shape here, cut paper or the like cut in advance may be used. In this case, the recording paper cutter 63
Needless to say, it is no longer necessary.

Further, in order to detect the remaining amount of the recording paper 61, the printer 6 is provided with a remaining amount sensor 65 for detecting a black band portion or the like provided in advance at the end portion of the recording paper 61 or the like. The remaining amount sensor 65 is configured by a reflection type photo sensor or the like. The detection result of the remaining amount sensor 65 is output to the CPU 1.

Image data read by the scanner 5 or image data to be recorded by the printer 6 is stored in the image memory 1c. The image memory 1c includes a RAM, a magnetic disk device, and the like.

Here, FIG. 2 shows the structure of the operation panel 4 of FIG. The operation panel 4 shown in FIG. 2 is provided with an LCD panel 41 for displaying the time or displaying the communication status. A well-known keyboard 44 including ten keys and various function keys is provided. In this embodiment, a key 42 for selecting memory transmission as a function key and a memory transmission mode set by the key 42 are displayed. LED 43 is provided.

The key 42 switches between the memory transmission mode and the non-memory transmission mode each time the key 42 is pressed by a so-called toggle operation. When the key 42 is pressed in the non-memory transmission mode, the memory transmission mode is set.
Pressing releases the memory transmission mode. The LDE 43 is turned on or off according to this mode setting, and is turned on only in the memory transmission mode.

The above-described units of the apparatus are directly controlled by the CPU 1 or controlled via a peripheral CPU (not shown).

Next, the operation in the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 3 is stored in the ROM 1a of FIG. 1, and shows a part of the communication mode control procedure of the CPU 1, that is, the control procedure after the memory transmission is once set by the key 42.

Step S1 in FIG. 3 shows a memory transmission mode setting process executed by the operator pressing the key 42 in the non-memory transmission mode. This mode setting
This is performed by setting a predetermined area flag of the RAM 1b. When the memory transmission mode is set, the LED 43 is turned on to display this mode setting. In this memory transmission mode, all the image data read by the scanner 5 is temporarily stored in the image memory 1c, and then the line connection is performed to execute the image data transmission in the memory.

After setting the memory transmission mode in step S1, the remaining amount of the recording paper 61 is checked using the remaining amount sensor 65 in step S2. If the remaining amount sensor 65 does not detect the black band indicating the insufficient remaining amount of the recording paper 61, the process proceeds to step S5, and the memory transmission mode is continued.

However, if a black band indicating that the remaining amount of the recording paper 61 is insufficient is detected, the process proceeds to step S3, and the memory transmission mode is canceled by resetting the flag and the like set in step S1. At this time, the LED 43 is controlled to a light-off state indicating the non-memory transmission mode. Subsequently, at step S4, the
Using a display means such as an LCD panel 41, or another warning light 7 or a buzzer, a warning is given that the memory transmission mode has been canceled due to insufficient recording paper 61. It is assumed that the remaining amount detection process in step S2 is repeatedly performed at a predetermined timing after the continuation of the memory transmission mode in step S5.

According to the above configuration, the memory transmission mode is set only when the remaining recording paper is sufficient and the received data can be sequentially recorded without using the memory proxy reception function. If no data can be sequentially recorded and output, the memory transmission mode is forcibly released and an alarm is generated. Therefore, since the memory transmission mode is set only in a state where the received data can be sequentially recorded, even if there is an incoming call immediately after the image data is stored in the memory, the received data is directly stored and output, so that the image can be reliably received, and a chance of receiving is obtained. Never miss out.

Further, the above control is advantageous from the viewpoint of communication cost. This is because, in a telephone line or the like, charging is performed according to the line connection time, and this charging is started when the other station receives a call. Accordingly, if the communication is terminated in error when it is determined that the line connection reception is impossible as in the conventional case, the fee up to that point is wasted, but according to the above control, the reception can be always performed by alternate reception or direct reception. Because.

In the above, paper is exemplified as the recording medium, but it goes without saying that the same configuration is effective even when other materials such as a plastic sheet are used as the recording medium.

In the above description, the case where the printer operation is impossible due to the lack of the recording paper was considered. It goes without saying that the same control may be performed by replacing the malfunction with the malfunction.

[Effect of the Invention] According to the present invention, the storage means is also used for storing the transmission image data and the reception image data, the input transmission image data is stored in the storage means, and the transmission image data stored in the storage means is stored in the storage means. In order to transmit the received image data, the received image data is stored in the storage unit, the received image data stored in the storage unit is output, and further, a storage area for storing the received image data is secured in the storage unit. In addition, the transmission image data is restricted from being stored in the storage means, and the received image data is stored in the reserved storage area, so the entire area of the storage means is shared as the transmission data storage area and the reception data storage area. Compared to the case where the transmission image data occupies the storage means, there is no area for storing the reception image data, and it is possible to prevent the reception from becoming impossible. effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus employing the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the structure of an operation panel in the apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows a communication control procedure in the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 1 CPU 2 Communication controller 3 Communication line 4 Operation panel 5 Scanner 6 Printer 61 Recording paper 62 Recording head 63 Transport roller 65 Quantity sensor

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-120163 (JP, A) JP-A-62-1203471 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 1 / 21 H04N 1/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] A communication means for transmitting and receiving image data; an input means for inputting transmission image data transmitted by the communication means; an output means for outputting reception image data received by the communication means; And a storage unit also used for storing the received image data; storing the transmission image data input by the input unit in the storage unit; and transmitting the transmission image data stored in the storage unit to the communication unit. Transmitting, on the other hand, storing the received image data received by the communication means in the storage means, outputting the received image data stored in the storage means to the output means, and further transmitting the received image data. In order to secure an accumulation area for accumulation in the accumulation means, accumulation of the transmission image data in the accumulation means is restricted, and the secured accumulation area is Image communication apparatus characterized by comprising a control means for storing the received image data to the. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detecting unit configured to detect that the output unit cannot output the received image data. The control unit detects that the output unit cannot output the received image data. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in order to secure the storage area, the storage of the transmission image data in the storage unit is restricted. 3. The control means, when the storage of the transmission image data in the storage means is restricted in order to secure the storage area, the transmission image data input by the input means is controlled. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is transmitted to the communication unit without being stored in the storage unit. 4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means is reading means for reading a document. 5. An image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means is a recording means for recording said received image data on a recording paper. 6. The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein said image communication device is a facsimile device.